Carole and Marcus Weinstein Jewish Community Center
When Marcus Weinstein, entrepreneur turned philosopher, and his wife Carole donated the funds to expand the Richmond Jewish Community Center, they had an explicit purpose: “The purpose of the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Jewish Community Center is to strengthen Jewish identity by enriching personal, cultural, social and physical development; to foster leadership; and to promote the welfare of both the Jewish community and the community as a whole.” Located on Monument Avenue near the heart of the near West End, the Jewish Community Center is an important cultural center for those in the surrounding neighborhoods.
The Center offers aquatic, sports, dance, exercise and recreational programming for community members of all ages. The Center hosts events such as Family Spaghetti Dinners, Parenting Forums, and a Jewish film series. The Adult Cultural Arts Department organizes the Jewish Community Center Forum, the Undiscovered Artists Exhibit, and the annual Jewish Book Fair. The Jewish Community Center also sponsors the Jewish Community Classic Golf Tournament.
A variety of programs are available for children and young adults. Early education and daycare programs are provided through the Dora L. Lewis Family and Child Development Center. There are several summer camps available. Preschoolers can attend Camp Ganim; children from kindergarten through eighth grade can participate in Camp Hilbert, a 110-acre rustic summer camp in Goochland County. Specialty Camps are available to these older children and offer a variety of programs in sports or arts. The Voices Together camp offers children with autism bother recreational activities and socialization skills. The Richmond Jewish Student Association connects students with cultural programs, campus communities, and the Jewish community. The local B’nai B’rith Youth Organizations meet at the center, and the B’nai B’rith Regional Office is located there .
There are special groups for seniors, including the 5400 Men’s Club, the Women’s Room and the Grand Group. The Jewish Community Center is the homebase for the Elmer Toth Food Co-Op, founded more than a decade ago. The Co-Op provides low cost, quality food to seniors and others in the community.
Individual and family memberships are available, and membership includes access to guest privileges at dozens of other Jewish Community Centers throughout the United States and even Canada. The Jewish Community Center rents space for gatherings of all sizes both to members and non-members.
Carole and Marcus Weinstein Jewish Community Center
5303 Monument Avenue
Richmond , VA
(804) 285-6500
Sources:
Profile prepared by Margaret Williams
April, 2007
